"Vietnam" Vietnam by AndreSTGT

Vietnam Travel Guide: 12,415 reviews and 30,524 photos

Road trip 2000

In March/April 2000 i spent 4 weeks in this fascinating country, traveling from Saigon north to Hanoi, visiting most major and minor tourist destinations en route, as well as the Mekong delta in the South, and North-Western Vietnam.

Vietnam is very different from other South-East Asian countries, not only because of the, still quite visible, influence of the colonial time and the war, but also because of the mentality of the people.
Vietnam is a very diverse country with clear differences between North and South.
In the South, people tend to be more friendly, there's more culture and the towns are more pleasant.
The North is poorer and you're more likely to get ripped off, but the people that are not used to seeing tourists are very honest and friendly, as well. The scenic beauty of North Vietnam is world-class and hard to beat.
And as if spectacular landscapes, the two great cities of Saigon and Hanoi and the cheap prices wouldn't be enough, the Vietnamese cuisine is one of the best in the world and it's very hard to find a bad restaurant in this country.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Great food, stunning scenery, attractive cities
Cons:High visa costs
In a nutshell:Fantastic travel destination

Last visit to Vietnam: Jun 2008
Intro Updated Jul 20, 2008
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Reviews (32)

North-Western Vietnam Off The Beaten Path (8)

Those who really want to get off-the beaten track should consider doing a loop through the North-Western mountains. This... more travel advice

Sapa Off The Beaten Path (8)

The former French hillstation of Sapa is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. Some of the old villas and the church... more travel advice

Halong Bay Things to Do (9)

A boat trip through Halong Bay with its innumerable islands and grottos is a unique experience. The landscape is of... more travel advice

Phan Rang Off The Beaten Path (8)

These are a couple of attractive Cham temples between Dalat and Nha Trang that are well worth a visit. more travel advice

Comments (37)

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sihi Aug 10, 2006 at 1:16 PM

Great page about Vietnam. Greetz:)
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eslim_81 Jul 9, 2006 at 9:22 AM

I don't understand all new travelogues (in German)...Hehe....:)
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umashanker Feb 12, 2006 at 6:11 AM

Sad to see the neglected state of "My Son"that is great heritage of Cham.
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AnitaJRT Jan 28, 2006 at 7:14 AM

Andre . . . fabulous photo -- you have a keen "eye" Thanks for sharing!
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VeronicaG Dec 4, 2005 at 5:38 PM

Halong Bay is very inviting. A boat trip up that pretty river would be so pleasant!!
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A2002 Dec 1, 2005 at 7:32 AM

A superb overview of Vietnam with beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing, Andre. Keep it up! :)
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bijo69 Jul 29, 2005 at 9:38 AM

Klasse Seite! Wahrscheinlich geht's im Oktober wieder nach Vietnam :).
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Callavetta Jul 4, 2005 at 5:00 PM

Andre, I think you must be a brave eater!
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Nemorino May 24, 2005 at 7:08 AM

Nice tips and photos! I've been to Vietnam twice (the second time was voluntary) and found it a fascinating country. I think we took that same Mekong Delta tour, or a very similar one. Highly recommended!
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mad4travel Mar 23, 2005 at 12:33 PM

Great pages. I've only been to the south but the north is definitely on my to go list